Bigsby or other option for an ES-Les Paul

Hey guys- I have an ES-Les Paul and have some interest in possibly adding a Bigsby or Bigsby type vibrato to the guitar. Has anyone installed an after market Bigsby (I believe B7 is the model for an ES-Les Paul). Im also interested to hear if anyone has installed another type of vibrato to an ES-Les Paul. Xtreme Long Tail Vibrato is another option that I have looked at and much cheaper than Bigsby, although some modification is required. Any comments would be appreciated as well as any pics you can add.

Hey guys- I have an ES-Les Paul and have some interest in possibly adding a Bigsby or Bigsby type vibrato to the guitar. Has anyone installed an after market Bigsby (I believe B7 is the model for an ES-Les Paul). Im also interested to hear if anyone has installed another type of vibrato to an ES-Les Paul. Xtreme Long Tail Vibrato is another option that I have looked at and much cheaper than Bigsby, although some modification is required. Any comments would be appreciated as well as any pics you can add.

#1 for the Towner Downer and the Duesenberg Les Trem. I have done both on Les Paul and ES335. Best part of both these is you can put your guitar back the way it was originally without any extra screw holes. The vibramate is extra heavy and bulky not as slick as the two mentioned. Link for my video of the Duesenberg Les Trem I like it as the best optionhttps://www.youtube....ure=em-comments

#1 for the Towner Downer and the Duesenberg Les Trem. I have done both on Les Paul and ES335. Best part of both these is you can put your guitar back the way it was originally without any extra screw holes. The vibramate is extra heavy and bulky not as slick as the two mentioned. Link for my video of the Duesenberg Les Trem I like it as the best optionhttps://www.youtube....ure=em-comments

I have a Vibramate & Bigsby B7 on my Gibson Memphis Blacktop ES Les Paul. Looks Killer, feels, plays & sounds fantastic. Looks like it came from the Factory. The Guitars total weight is slightly over 7 lbs. One of the lightest Guitars I've ever owned...

A word of caution, possibly not needed, BUT:You are asking about an ES-LP, not an LP. A lot, if not all responses are for LPs, not ES-LP. Obviously different construction. I'd want to be absolutely positive that whatever is done is appropriate for for the ES. They do come with a Bigbys, so obviously it is possible. It just may be that certain types are not.
Again, I don't know that there is any differences of consequence, but someones opinion is only worth so much when it is *your* guitar.

A word of caution, possibly not needed, BUT:You are asking about an ES-LP, not an LP. A lot, if not all responses are for LPs, not ES-LP. Obviously different construction. I'd want to be absolutely positive that whatever is done is appropriate for for the ES. They do come with a Bigbys, so obviously it is possible. It just may be that certain types are not.
Again, I don't know that there is any differences of consequence, but someones opinion is only worth so much when it is *your* guitar.

Here is a shot of the mahogany block inside of the ES Les Paul... .. Not much wood...…..

Here is a shot of the mahogany block inside of the ES Les Paul... .. Not much wood... ..

Similar concept to an ES335 345 & 355... Works pretty well with them & it works equally well on Les Paul's.

You're kidding yourself if you think you need a 10-11 lb Les Paul for it to sound great... I've had those too. Still got a 9 1/2 lb'r. While they did/do sound great they don't sound any better than my Memphis ES Les Paul with MHS Pickups & Bigsby. The only one that may have sounded a little better was my old mid/late 50's Les Paul Jr. Which by the way wasn't a heavy Guitar either.... That & my old 1959 Gibson ES345 with PAF's....

Similar concept to an ES335 345 & 355... Works pretty well with them & it works equally well on Les Paul's.

You're kidding yourself if you think you need a 10-11 lb Les Paul for it to sound great... I've had those too. Still got a 9 1/2 lb'r. While they did/do sound great they don't sound any better than my Memphis ES Les Paul with MHS Pickups & Bigsby. The only one that may have sounded a little better was my old mid/late 50's Les Paul Jr. Which by the way wasn't a heavy Guitar either.... That & my old 1959 Gibson ES345 with PAF's....

How is a mostly hollow LP-ES in any way even remotely like a full block ES335, 345, 355 for screwing a trem to the top?

Maybe a B-11 Bigsby (Per Bigsby Designed for use on thin hollowbody and semi-hollowbody guitars)
The issues are NOT being able to screw to the top and the trem length.
I have a B-6 removed from my hollow ES-195 and while the hinge plate "may" fit (it may be too long on the rim) its length is (IMO) too long for my LP-ES and would be too close to the bridge. I've seen very few LP-ES with a Bigsby and it looked W-R-O-N-G being IMO too close to the bridge and having screws in the hollow top. If I HAD to do that a B-6 is a better bet even if I had to change the hinge plate with a Towner B6 thin rim replacement plate.

How is a mostly hollow LP-ES in any way even remotely like a full block ES335, 345, 355 for screwing a trem to the top?

Maybe a B-11 Bigsby (Per Bigsby Designed for use on thin hollowbody and semi-hollowbody guitars)
The issues are NOT being able to screw to the top and the trem length.
I have a B-6 removed from my hollow ES-195 and while the hinge plate "may" fit (it may be too long on the rim) its length is (IMO) too long for my LP-ES and would be too close to the bridge. I've seen very few LP-ES with a Bigsby and it looked W-R-O-N-G being IMO too close to the bridge and having screws in the hollow top. If I HAD to do that a B-6 is a better bet even if I had to change the hinge plate with a Towner B6 thin rim replacement plate.

OP, I'd call Bigsby to make sure what you buy is right for the LP-ES.

My conversation was about adding Bigsby's or Trem's that were completely reversible.

Call Gibson by all means. Gibson built some ES Les Paul's with Bigsby's. Vibramates don't screw into the Body at any point. It connects at the Bridge. The big Center block of Wood.. It's a perfectly clean Set up with a B-7. Completely reversible with no holes. I've even sent mine to Gibson Factory for Warranty work. Doesn't void the Warranty either...

My conversation was about adding Bigsby's or Trem's that were completely reversible.

Call Gibson by all means. Gibson built some ES Les Paul's with Bigsby's. Vibramates don't screw into the Body at ay point. It connects at the Bridge. The big Center block of Wood.. It's a perfectly clean Set up with a B-7. Completely reversible with no holes. I've even sent mine to Gibson Factory for Warranty work. Doesn't void the Warranty either...

NONE of the LP-ES Bigsby installations were reversible, well invisibly anyway. They ALL screwed to the top, look them up at Reverb, there are only two or three, all have two screws in the top.

A Bigsby B7 has two screw holes. If they're not used, then that's OK BUT the baseplate screw holes will ALWAYS be there, no?